Athletic protective device

ABSTRACT

An athletic protective device includes a rigid cup member and a resilient padding member. The cup member has a convex outer surface to bear an external impact force, a concave inner surface to confront the groin area of a user, and a peripheral abutment edge joining the outer and inner peripheral regions and having two edge segments. The padding member includes a cup-shaped lining body which has a convex abutment surface mating with the concave inner surface entirely, left and right dampening walls which extend from the lining body to flank the edge segments, respectively, and two flanges which extend respectively from the dampening walls to contact the groin area. The flanges are configured such that they do not stand in the way of bending of the dampening walls towards the groin area when the external impact force is being transmitted through the edge segments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an athletic protective device, moreparticularly to an athletic protective device for protecting the groinarea of a user's body.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an athletic protective cup of U.S. Pat. No.6,319,219 B1 is adapted to be contained in a pouch of pants forprotecting the groin area of a male user during athletic competition,and is shown to include a rigid cup-shaped base member 1 and a resilientpadding member 2 which is fixedly attached to a convex exterior surface102 and around a stepped-shaped peripheral edge 103 of the base member1. The base member 1 has a concave inner surface 101 confronting thegroin area of a user's body. The resilient padding member 2 includes athin cup-shaped portion 201, two thickened flange portions 202, and twoconnecting portions 203. Thus, the resilient padding member 2 extendsover the entire exterior surface 102 of the base member 1 for dampeningthe impact of a blow to the exterior surface 102. However, when the cupis struck by a relatively severe blow, the impact force is borne by theresilient padding member 2, and is transmitted immediately to the basemember 1 so as to cause fracture of the base member 1. The broken piecesof the rigid base member 1 may prick the user. Besides, the thickenedconnecting portions 203 may cause discomfort to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an athletic protectivedevice which can provide excellent protection and enhanced comfort tothe user.

According to this invention, the athletic protective device includes arigid cup member and a resilient padding member. The cup member includesupper and lower ends opposite to each other along a longitudinal line, aconvex outer surface which has an outer crest area defining acenterline, and an outer peripheral region extending to the upper andlower ends, a concave inner surface which has an inner vaulted area tocorrespond to the outer crest area, and an inner peripheral region tocorrespond to the outer peripheral region, and a peripheral abutmentedge which joins the outer and inner peripheral regions. The peripheralabutment edge includes left and right edge segments opposite to eachother relative to the longitudinal line. The padding member includes acup-shaped lining body with a periphery. The lining body has a convexabutment surface that is configured to mate with, and to intimatelycontact, the concave inner surface entirely, and a concave confrontingsurface that is opposite to the convex abutment surface, left and rightdampening walls which extend from the periphery of the cup-shaped liningbody to flank the left and right edge segments, respectively, and whichrespectively terminate at left and right joining regions that are flushwith the outer peripheral region, and left and right flanges which aredisposed to extend respectively from the left and right joining regionsaway from the outer peripheral region. The left and right flanges areadapted to be brought into contact with corresponding parts of the groinarea of a user's body, and have a thickness such that the left and rightflanges do not stand in the way of bending of the left and rightdampening walls towards the corresponding parts of the groin area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional athletic protective cup;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional athletic protectivecup;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of anathletic protective device according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the second preferred embodiment ofan athletic protective device according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it shouldbe noted that same reference numerals have been used to denote likeelements throughout the specification.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the first preferred embodiment of an athleticprotective device according to the present invention is shown tocomprise a rigid cup member 10 and a resilient padding member 20.

The rigid cup member 10 is formed from a rigid plastic material, such asPP, PC, nylon, ABS, etc., to have a cup shape. The cup member 10includes upper and lower ends 13,14 opposite to each other along alongitudinal line (L), a convex outer surface 11 which is adapted tobear an external impact force, a concave inner surface 12 which isopposite to the convex outer surface 11 and which is adapted to confrontthe groin area of a user's body, and a peripheral abutment edge 15 whichsurrounds a centerline (C). The convex outer surface 11 has an outercrest area 111 which defines the centerline (C), and an outer peripheralregion 112 which extends to the upper and lower ends 13,14 and whichsurrounds the outer crest area 111 to radially transmit the externalimpact force away from the outer crest area 111. The concave innersurface 12 has an inner vaulted area 121 to correspond to the outercrest area 111, and an inner peripheral region 122 which surrounds thecenterline (C), and which corresponds to the outer peripheral region112. The peripheral abutment edge 15 joins the outer and innerperipheral regions 112,122, and includes left and right edge segments151 which are opposite to each other relative to the longitudinal line(L). The cup member 10 has a larger thickness at the upper and lowerends 13,14, and a smaller thickness at the peripheral abutment edge 15.Moreover, the cup member 10 has a plurality of vent holes 16.

The resilient padding member 20 is formed from a soft plastic materialmore flexible than that of the cup member 10, and includes a cup-shapedlining body 21 with a periphery, left and right dampening walls 26 whichextend from the periphery of the lining body 21 to flank the left andright edge segments 151 and which terminate at left and right joiningregions 261, and left and right flanges 24 which are disposed to extendrespectively from the left and right joining regions 261 away from theouter peripheral region 112. The lining body 21 has a convex abutmentsurface 211 which is configured to mate with, and to intimately contact,the concave inner surface 12 entirely, and a concave confronting surface212 which is opposite to the convex abutment surface 211 and which isadapted to be spaced apart from the groin area of the user's body.Preferably, the left and right joining regions 261 are formed to beflush with the outer peripheral region 112 of the cup member 10.

The left and right flanges 24 are adapted to be brought into contactwith respective parts of the groin area of the user's body. Each of theleft and right flanges 24 includes a transitional portion 241 whichextends from a respective one of the left and right joining regions 261to terminate at an end portion 242 that has a curved cross-section. Thethickness of the transitional portion 241 is smaller than that of thelining body 21. The transitional portion 241 of each of the left andright flanges 24 has an outer surface 243 which is flush with the convexouter surface 11, and an inner surface 244 which is offset from theconcave confronting surface 212 relative to left and right referencelines (R) respectively, that extend along the contour of the innerperipheral region 122 away from the inner vaulted area 121.

The resilient padding member 20 further includes upper and lower flanges22,23 which interconnect respective end portions of the left and rightflanges 24 and which are molded with and disposed to be outboard to theupper and lower ends 13,14, respectively. The resilient padding member20 has a plurality of apertures 213 corresponding to and communicatedwith the vent holes 16.

The athletic protective device of this invention is adapted to becontained in a pouch of pants for shielding and protecting the groinarea of a male user during athletic competition. When an external impactforce is applied to the outer surface 11 of the rigid cup member 10,since the left and right flanges 24 are configured such that they do notstand in the way of bending of the left and right dampening walls 26towards the corresponding parts of the groin area when the externalimpact force is being transmitted through the left and right edgesegments 151, the external impact force can be reduced by virtue of thebending of the dampening walls 26 and by virtue of the provision of theleft and right flanges 24, thereby providing a superior impactresistance. Moreover, in case of fracture of the cup member 10, brokenpieces of the cup member 10 will not prick the user due to the provisionof the padding member 20. Furthermore, the left and right flanges 24which contact the groin area of the user's body have a thickness thinnerthan that of the lining body 21, thereby providing enhanced comfort tothe user.

Referring to FIG. 7, the second preferred embodiment of an athleticprotective device according to this invention is shown to be similar tothe previous embodiment in construction, except that the transitionalportion 241 of each of the left and right flanges 24 has one or morecutout area(s) 25 such that the flexibility of the left and rightflanges 24 is increased, and the end portion 242 of each of the left andright flanges 24 has a semi-circular cross-section.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatare considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations andequivalent arrangements.

1. An athletic protective device comprising: a rigid cup memberincluding upper and lower ends opposite to each other along alongitudinal line, a convex outer surface adapted to bear an externalimpact force, and having an outer crest area which defines a centerline,and an outer peripheral region which extends to said upper and lowerends, and which surrounds said outer crest area to radially transmit theexternal impact force away from said outer crest area, a concave innersurface which is opposite to said convex outer surface, and which isadapted to confront the groin area of a user's body, said concave innersurface having an inner vaulted area to correspond to said outer crestarea, and an inner peripheral region that surrounds the centerline, andthat corresponds to said outer peripheral region, and a peripheralabutment edge which surrounds the centerline, and which joins said outerand inner peripheral regions, said peripheral abutment edge includingleft and right edge segments which are opposite to each other relativeto the longitudinal line; and a resilient padding member formed from amaterial more flexible than that of said rigid cup member, and includinga cup-shaped lining body with a periphery, said cup-shaped lining bodyhaving a convex abutment surface that is configured to mate with, and tointimately contact, said concave inner surface entirely, and a concaveconfronting surface that is opposite to said convex abutment surface,and that is adapted to be spaced apart from the groin area of the user'sbody, left and right dampening walls which extend from said periphery ofsaid cup-shaped lining body to flank said left and right edge segments,respectively, and which respectively terminate at left and right joiningregions that are flush with said outer peripheral region, and left andright flanges which are disposed to extend respectively from said leftand right joining regions away from said outer peripheral region, andwhich are adapted to be brought into contact with corresponding parts ofthe groin area of the user's body, said left and right flanges beingconfigured to have a thickness such that said left and right flangesdoes not stand in the way of bending of said left and right dampeningwalls towards the corresponding parts of the groin area when theexternal impact force is being transmitted through said left and rightedge segments.
 2. The athletic protective device of claim 1, whereineach of said left and right flanges includes a transitional portionwhich extends from a respective one of said left and right joiningregions to terminate at an end portion that has a curved cross-section,the thickness of said transitional portion being smaller than that ofsaid cup-shaped lining body.
 3. The athletic protective device of claim2, wherein said transitional portion of each of said left and rightflanges has an outer surface which is flush with said convex outersurface, and an inner surface which is offset from said concaveconfronting surface relative to left and right reference lines,respectively, the left and right reference lines extending along acontour of said inner peripheral region away from said inner vaultedarea.
 4. The athletic protective device of claim 1, wherein said rigidcup member has a larger thickness at said upper and lower ends and asmaller thickness at said peripheral abutment edge, said resilientpadding member further including upper and lower flanges whichinterconnect respective end portions of said left and right flanges andwhich are molded with and disposed to be outboard to said upper andlower ends, respectively.
 5. The athletic protective device of claim 1,wherein said rigid cup member has a plurality of vent holes, saidresilient padding member having a plurality of apertures correspondingto and communicated with said vent holes.
 6. The athletic protectivedevice of claim 3, wherein said transitional portion of each of saidleft and right flanges has a cutout area such that flexibility of saidleft and right flanges is increased, and said end portion of each ofsaid left and right flanges has a semi-circular cross-section.